Damian's Education
by Enterprising Voyager
Summary: Damian Wayne had a habit of staying up late lost in thought (it was something that ran in the family). One night he saw something he shouldn't have, and it left him with more questions than answers. What's worse, it could damage his already strained relationship with both Tim and their father. Rated M for strong language and adult situations
1. Insomnia

**Batman**

 **Damian's Education  
**

{Damian Wayne/Robin, Tim Drake-Wayne/Red Robin, Connor Kent/Superboy (main)};

{Bruce Wayne/Batman, Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Clark Kent/Superman (secondary)}

 **Chapter-1: Insomnia**

As often happened, Damian found himself wide awake in the middle of the night (a tendency that ran in the family); It sometimes happened when father, or his adoptive-brothers Richard and Tim, went on patrol without him. At first it would be because of resentment at being left behind (or so he told himself); Later he came to realize that it was because he was actually concerned, and that it would not cease until they were home safe. Other times, like tonight it was because he had something on his mind.

According to Pennyworth, it was not unusual for preteen and adolescent boys to have occasional bouts of sleeplessness; it was common during the phase of youth called puberty. Being a resourceful boy, Damian took it upon himself to research into the phenomenon. What he found made him think he was the butt of some elaborate hoax. It seemed like something Grayson would have come up with; and Drake, though usually very serious, wouldn't have been beyond playing a practical joke. Damian realized something was happening to him though.

He envied Grayson and especially father's height, and their deeper voices. The youngest Wayne boy had also given in to his curiosity and snuck glances at Tim and Richard while they showered downstairs in the cave and even up here in the mansion once or twice; If they had known he was there Grayson would've been irritated but understanding and Drake would have been furious at the invasion of privacy. When he did peek, he noticed a few things.

The first and most obvious was the aforementioned height difference, although in reality Tim wasn't that much taller than Damian. Both of his adoptive brothers were more muscular than him, but less than father. Less obvious was the difference between their organs, theirs were both circumcised and seemed huge compared to Damian's rather pathetic looking uncircumcised little penis.

Damian also noticed that Drake and especially Grayson had hair in places that he didn't. Grayson had chest hair, though again not as much as father; and while Drake did not have chest hair, he did have a slender dark trail leading from his navel to the neatly trimmed nest above his crotch. They also both had hair under their arms and on their legs. Damian made a note of these differences between his brothers and himself, particularly the differences in height and the lack of any body hair. So much to his chagrin, he decided that he needed to talk to somebody about this.

It would have been too awkward to talk to father about this and Pennyworth was out of the question. Grayson would probably rub his head and say something infuriating like "Aw Dami that's so cute." Damian could only take so much humiliation, which unfortunately left him only one choice. Finding his resolve, he reluctantly decided to approach Tim about this. He hesitated in the sitting room just outside Tim's bedroom; debating whether to knock, or not. It was almost 2 a.m. and even though Damian was usually recklessly impatient, he decided this could wait until morning. He was about to head back to his own room when he heard what sounded like a struggle coming from behind Tim's door.

Damian and Tim had never gotten along well, indeed the first time they met, Damian tried to kill Tim and would have if Grayson and Father hadn't intervened. Or so he believed at the time, later he realized Tim was a much more skilled fighter than he seemed but had been holding back because of his age; and if Father and Richard hadn't been there Damian would've been the one to get his ass kicked. Since then they had developed a certain respect for each other, if not true affection.

No one would harm any member of the Wayne family if Damian could help it. Charging in impulsively Damian broke through the heavy oak door and found something completely unexpected. Tim was in his bed with Conner Kent (AKA Superboy), Conner was completely naked and Tim wore only an oversized black tee-shirt with a stylized red "S" inside a diamond printed on it. They were locked in a passionate embrace. Conner immediately separated himself from Tim, who winced slightly in pain at the suddenness of it, and they covered themselves with the sheets but not before Damian caught a glimpse of Conner's enormous erection. "Damian," Tim bellowed loud enough to make his companion, with his hyper-sensitive hearing, cringe. "What the f*ck are you doing in here, get the hell out of my room!"

Embarrassed, and bewildered (both completely unfamiliar sentiments to him) Damian scrambled out of Tim's room and hurried back to his own. But, by this time, the damage was done. Other members of the family having heard the commotion, were emerging including one very tired and angry looking patriarch.


	2. Explanations and Consequences

**Chapter-2 Explanations and Consequences**

Bruce Wayne surveyed the scene of his youngest son sheepishly trying to make his way back to his room while still maintaining some semblance of his inherent dignity; and then his at his second son storming out of his room after him with just pajama bottoms and no shirt on looking outraged. Through the door behind Tim, Bruce caught a glimpse of Conner Kent getting dressed and trying desperately to be invisible.

It didn't take the 'World's Greatest Detective' to put together the pieces of what had happened here. "Damian, return to your room for now and we'll talk in a few minutes."

'But Father," he began to protest with an adolescent squeak that just added to the uncomfortably humiliating feelings he was experiencing. "Damian, now!"

Damian had enough "discussions" with both Bruce and Richard about disobeying and even outright ignoring orders in the field to know that tone in his father's voice meant business. He skulked back to his suite quietly cursing Drake and Conner under his breath. Tim could tell what was on his mind from his body language, and actually smirked at his anger. Conner could hear him despite how quietly he whispered to himself and looked shocked that someone so young knew such language.

"Tim, Conner downstairs in the cave!"

Like Damian, Tim knew his adoptive father's tone brooked no argument. Conner was not easily intimidated by anyone, least of all an ordinary human being; but Bruce Wayne (aka The Batman) was one of the few people on that **very short **list, and after a gentle nudge from Tim, he likewise offered no argument.

"Just what did you two think you were doing," Bruce demanded of the two teenagers sitting before him in the gloomy twilight of the Batcave.

"Bruce...dad," Tim said (he rarely addressed Bruce by anything except his given name), which told everyone just how apologetic he was right now. "I'm sorry, but everything has been so crazy lately, and this is the first time we've been able to be together in a while that wasn't 'official business'; I'm also sorry you had to find out about me and the 'way I am' like this."

At the uncomfortable euphemism Bruce's expression softened, "Timothy, did you really think my opinion of you would be diminished by something like your sexual orientation, or that I wouldn't have already figured it out?"

"If you knew why didn't you say anything?" Conner impulsively asked and immediately wished he hadn't. "Because Conner, it wasn't my place to confront him about it; it was for him to come to me when he was ready. Now you two have managed to have push us into that whether anyone was ready or not. Besides that, you two are members of a team; and not just members but leaders on that team."

"A relationship with a coworker can be full of pitfalls, you risk the stability of the team by getting yourselves into this."

Even as he said it, Bruce knew it sounded like a pretty lame reason, and held up a hand to silence their objections.

He was well aware that there were other members of Young Justice and their sister organization The Titans, in relationships; was his reason personal, then?

"I just wish you had been more discreet Tim, and not been with Conner where Damian could find you together."

"And Conner, you still haven't fully mastered your powers how do you know you wouldn't injure or even kill Tim?"

Knowing there would be even more objections he held up his hand again. "Conner, I know that you'd never do that intentionally and obviously you two are very close, but it's a valid concern and if you care as much about Tim as I do, you can see why I might be worried."

"So, Dad what are you going to do," Tim asked once again addressing Bruce as his adoptive father, not by name.

"We'll take things one at a time and there's one other person who should be part of this conversation," Bruce saw the look of nervousness on Conner's face and Tim grabbed his hand.

"I'm sorry, but he's the only one who can help you so that it's safe for Tim **and** for you; he should be here any..." Bruce's statement was cut off by a rush of wind coming from the entrance to the cave. "Now," he finished his sentence.

The look of nervousness on Conner Kent's face grew to full blown panic as the last person he wanted to see stood there.

"I believe you called," Superman asked Bruce Wayne, who gave him a curt nod and then looked over at their two protegés.

"You two have really left me with one hell of a headache," Bruce told them and looked upward to where one confused and irate thirteen year-old waited for an entirely different conversation.


	3. Bruce and Tim

**Chapter 3: Tim and Bruce**

Bruce and Clark conferred privately for a few moments; even though Conner could hear them, if he cared to listen and Tim could've read their lips if he wanted to, neither of them really had any desire to be in on the discussion. Occasionally one or the other of them would look toward the teens, Clark with a look of amused disbelief, and Bruce with his trademark scowl. Of course, Batman always has that look on his face. After what seemed like an eternity Bruce and Clark approached the two teens. "Conner, let's take a walk," Superman said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Conner went with him, throwing a nearly panicked look over his shoulder at Tim where he stood beside Bruce. Judging by the look on his face he was at least as nervous as Conner felt.

As Bruce began to speak Tim cut him off, "I know what you're going to say, you don't approve of my choice of "boyfriends" and you want me and Kon-El to break-up; but I can tell you right now that isn't going to happen, Bruce.

There, he's said it, making official; he and Conner were 'boyfriends.'

"Tim I'm not trying to break you two up, that's not what this is about; I just want you to be safe."

"Why do you think I was so tough on you boys in training, it wasn't because I was trying to be some kind of hard-assed drill instructor; It was because you were going to follow me into a dangerous life, whether I wanted you to or not. I did the best I could to prepare you for it."

"You did, more than anyone could ask, Bruce; but give me some credit I'm not just going to walk blindly into something, I'm not Damian or Jason."

At the mention of Jason, Bruce's posture visibly stiffened and Tim knew he had made an error; "I'm sorry, " he said, "I went too far, that was a low blow."

"It's alright Tim," Bruce said in a monotone voice, but Tim could see the pain behind his carefully controlled expression. "No, it isn't alright, I know how much it hurt you when you thought he was gone forever, and when you saw how he had changed after Ra's resurrected him."

"But my point is I'm not reckless or impulsive like they are, I know what I'm doing and I always look before I leap."

"Tim, I shouldn't say this but I've always thought that of all of you boys, you were the most like me; don't get me wrong I see something of myself in each of you but you were clearly the one who's personality is the most like mine. Dick is the acrobat and athlete, Jason has become a vigilante but he's too focused on revenge, and before he came to us Damian was brought up to be an assassin. But you've always been the intellectual one, as much a thinker as a fighter. And you're as much of a detective as me, perhaps even more.

"That's why I got so angry before, I've taught you how to survive the worst this city has to offer; and more. For you to deliberately invite danger like this is disconcerting."

'Conner has a great deal of potential, after all look at who his progenitors were; but it's just that, potential. He's unpredictable and he may look like an exceptionally fit seventeen-year old, but the reality is that he's younger than Damian; with the strength of more than a dozen men."

Tim replied in a very 'Batman-like' no-nonsense tone, "I know all of that, but I also know how much he cares about me and I care about him. He wouldn't hurt me and I can't hurt him by saying it has to be over between us."

Bruce Wayne looked down with an almost unseen smile at his third oldest and put an arm around him in a rare show of paternal affection, "Alright, Tim you've convinced me, for now. Let's go see how Superman and Conner are doing."

Under his breath, almost as an afterthought; Bruce added, "Jeez Lois and Clark as in-laws; I feel my headache coming back at just the thought of it."

Tim quietly chuckled at his adoptive dad's back as they walked up the long staircase to the mansion in silent contemplation instead of taking the high-speed lifts. They each needed the extra time to think about what had been said.


	4. Conner and Clark

**Chapter 4: Conner and Clark**

Superman had initially balked at the idea of coming to talk to Conner at Batman's home, especially at 3 am. He resented Conner because of what he symbolized. Cadmus had managed to humble Superman and for all intents and purposes raped him; stealing his DNA and combining it with Luthor's of all people, to create a half-human clone. Batman could sympathize, Talia Al'Ghul had drugged him and used his semen to impregnate herself and conceive Damian.

But Damian actually was Bruce's son, legitimate or not; conceived by an unforgivable assault or not.

He wasn't some abomination created in a petri dish.

"It isn't the boy's fault," Bruce and Diana had both said when they first freed Superboy from Cadmus, "He needs guidance, and you're the only one who can give it to him; if you can't be a father to him, at least try to be his friend."

Now, if he understood Batman's cryptic message, Conner needed guidance of an altogether different sort.

Clark spoke to Conner in the Kryptonian dialect used by the scientific and scholarly caste of his home world; the recordings about his heritage left for him by his father were made in this language. He often spoke with Kara using this tongue but almost never addressed Kon-El in anything but English, when they communicated at all.

" _Batman said he found you and Tim together in his bed, is that so?"_

Conner did a double-take had he heard right, was Superman actually speaking to him the native language of their home-world?

'Correction,' Conner reminded himself almost despairingly, it was Superman's home-world, he didn't consider Conner to be a true son of Krypton.

" _It is,"_ Conner replied awkwardly, he didn't really know too much Kryptonian, he had no one to practice with except the computer at Mount Justice and of course, Tim. He was as much a genius with exotic languages as he was with computers and criminal investigation.

 _Are you two happy together, how long has it been going on?"_

It took Kon-el a few moments to translate the question in his head, he was sorely in need of practice and answered in halting awkward sentences, " _We've been together for about three months and we are very happy."_

Seeing how much difficulty Conner was having Superman switched to English and asked candidly, "Have you ever been intimate before tonight?"

Conner's face flushed almost as red as his erstwhile mentor's cape and answered in a voice barely above a whisper "We've made out a lot of times but we've never tried to have sex before tonight."

Superman knew how awkward this must have been for Superboy and hesitantly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Does anyone else know about this, or have you two managed to keep your relationship quiet?"

"Before tonight, Kaldur knew about us and so did Tim's brother Richard; but we haven't told anyone else."

"Well it's up to you and Tim, but give careful consideration to keeping this under wraps for now."

Seeing the wary expression returning to Conner's face and the tension returning to his shoulders; Clark give him a slight smile "Believe me I know how difficult it is to keep secrets from the people close to you but for the time being it may be for the best."

Conner just silently nodded, this was the longest conversation he'd ever had with Kal-el that wasn't about 'official business'; and he didn't quite know what to say.

Superman then handed him a sealed lead box, "What's this," Superboy asked hesitantly although he had a good idea. He'd seen boxes like this before, they usually contained samples of that painful mineral, kryptonite.

"Don't worry it isn't dangerous, go ahead open it," Superman told him.

Conner opened the box revealing a luminescent violet crystal.

"This synthetic violet kryptonite was developed by J'onn and Ray Palmer, it temporarily renders a Kryptonian on earth only as strong as a normal human.

"Lois and I used this when we first got together so I wouldn't accidentally hurt her, you can use it when you're with Tim for now until you've fully learned to control your power and I'm willing to help you with that, just don't overuse it or the effect will become permanent."

"Bruce and Diana have both been after me for some time about this and I'm sorry I've been neglecting my responsibility and neglecting you."

Conner stuttered, "Superman I…." he halted, finding himself at a loss for words.

"It's alright Conner, you don't need to need to say anything, I should have said it all a long time ago."

Kon-el looked up at Superman with unabashed gratitude on his face.

"Ma and Kara have been asking about you, and I know Lois and especially little Jon-Jon would be happy to see you, Conner; why don't you come with us to Smallville this weekend for Sunday dinner?"

"Are you serious, do you really want me there," Superboy asked his idol.

"Yes, Conner I do; after all you're family, I'm sorry I forgot that."


	5. Damian's Brothers

**Chapter 5 Damian's Brothers**

As his father ordered, Damian returned to his own room. It was two doors and about 15 feet down the corridor from Tim's door, although of course, he resented it with every fiber of his being. It wasn't his fault if Drake was stupid enough to be fornicating with the alien half-breed under their father's nose. Tim was the one who should be chastised, not him!

However, once he got over his initial anger, he decided father would be more even-handed than that. Moving over to his desk, he entered in a password that was unknown to anyone not even father. He accessed the bugs he had planted in Drake's room, but no one was in there; then Damian remembered that father had ordered Tim and the Kryptonian half-breed down to the cave. There was no espionage of any kind possible down there. The combined resources of the CIA, British MI-6 and Russian Intelligence (the former KGB) couldn't crack Batman's security. God knows that they tried, and usually ended up getting thoroughly spanked every time. Damian's faced cracked into a tight wolfish smile, 'Idiots,' he thought to himself.

But up here in the mansion, it was possible in a limited fashion. When he first came here, he secretly bugged Drake's room to find something, anything to use against him. Of course, Tim eventually found them; he was far from the idiot Damian initially took him for.

He would destroy Damian's listening devices and plant his own. He didn't trust the little "demon-boy" for a second. Damian of course, eventually found Tim's devices and destroyed them.

But that was then, now he and Tim had developed a grudging respect and eventual affection of a sort for one another. It had become almost a contest between them and a brotherly bond (after a fashion)

It took a long time to admit it but Drake, that is Tim; Richard and Jason were also sons of Bruce Wayne, biological or not.

That's why he couldn't understand this; if Drake had to form a relationship with another male, why did it have to be that hulking, unpredictable half-kryptonian imbecile.

Damian couldn't really understand the reason anyone formed such bonds, beyond the need to procreate, which made this all the more inexplicable. Drake and Kent were both male; to say nothing of the fact that they weren't even technically the same species.

It was confusing, and there was one thing Damian hated more than losing a fight and it was being confused.

Just then Titus's ears perked up and he growled low and threateningly; and abruptly stopped when he recognized whoever was approaching.

Damian listened at his door and heard the ceiling hatch opening into the hallway from the attic. Father had placed a hidden entrance on the roof that couldn't be seen from the street to give them covert access to the mansion that didn't depend on coming in through the cave.

"Ya wanted me ta stop the asshole, and I stopped 'im, what's the big deal," Jason's raspy drawl asked.

"The deal is stopping him doesn't mean breaking his jaw!" Dick hissed back. "He'll live cool your jets, Dicky-boy; at least I didn't shoot him ."

Damian didn't know why but hearing his two oldest brothers arguing in the hall, brought the stresses he was feeling from the odd events of the night crashing down on top of him and he did something he hadn't done since he was an infant. Damian Wayne-Al'Ghul cried.

When Dick and Jason heard this extraordinary sound from behind Damian's door they knocked and their teary eyed little brother answered.

He didn't know why but he jumped into Dick's arms, "Little-D, what's wrong, buddy?"

Like a dam bursting, the youngest Wayne boy blurted out the whole story; being confused, wanting to talk to Tim of all people, discovering him with Conner Kent, everything.

Dick Grayson and Jason Todd stared at each other and then down at Damian in complete disbelief.


	6. Richard and Jason's Reactions

**Chapter 6**

 **Richard and Jason's reactions**

"Oh man Dami," Jason asked in his typically crude fashion, "Are you tellin' me that not only is little Timmy queer, but he got his cherry popped by 'Baby-Supes', of all people; and all right under 'The Old Man's' nose?"

"This is just too good to be true, I'm gonna love bustin his balls about this!"

"Jay this is really not helping the situation," Dick scolded, "I'll bet Tim's mortified by all this, you know what a private guy he is. I just can't believe he'd be stupid enough to do this here; I told him that he and Conner could use my apartment in the city when they want to be together!"

Jason looked at Dick with an expression that was at first puzzled, and then angry; "Wait a minute, you knew this was going on all along, you knew it and didn't say anything to me!"

"Jay, he didn't want anyone to know, and swore me to secrecy."

"And how long have you known?"

"Timmy and Conner have been together for about three months, and I learned about it two months ago."

"And how did you figure this out," Jason demanded, to which Dick replied, "There's not much Tim and I can't talk about, we often confide in each other, as they say it's cheaper than therapy."

"Damian, are you okay," Dick asked, partly out of concern for him and partly to change the subject, "I've never seen you so upset."

"I don't understand why father sent me up here when this was Drake's blunder, I've done nothing for which I should be chastised."

"It isn't my fault that he was fornicating with the half-kryptonian right here in father's house."

At just that moment, Bruce and Tim, having returned from their discussion with Conner and Superman down in the cave, came around the corner and surveyed the scene; Bruce with a disapproving scowl, and Tim with an utterly horrified look on his face.

"Richard, Jason this is not a topic for discussion in front of Damian, understood?"

"Yeah sorry Bruce," Dick said apologetically, "But when we came in we found him here so upset, when we asked him what happened the water-works started and he told us the whole story."

"I'm so glad my personal life is such a source of entertainment for you two pricks!" Tim snarled angrily and stalked back to his room slamming the door behind him.

"I'll talk to him," Bruce said, but Dick stopped him, "No let me have a talk with him, why don't you have a little chat with Damian," and gave the young teen a wink and an encouraging nod.

Bruce nodded his thanks to Dick for his understanding, and placed a hand on Damian's shoulder, leading him back to his room.

Dick walked to Tim's door and knocked asking, "Timmy can we talk?"

Of course, after Damian's reckless charge, the lock was broken and Dick could've just walked in; But he wanted to show Tim that his privacy was respected.

After a couple of moments Tim opened the door and let his older brother in, and closed it behind him.

Jason decided his part in this farce was over, and went downstairs to see what Alfie had in the fridge.


	7. Brotherly Advice

**Chapter-7**

 **Brotherly Advice**

"Tim I'm sorry about what happened out there, but you know how Jason can be; are you okay?"

"Jason is an asshole sometimes, but I would've expected more from you, of all people!"

"I know, and I'm sorry but this whole thing caught everybody off-guard, why didn't you take my advice and use my place in town; I've got an extra bedroom and I'll get a key made for you guys, not that either of you really needs to come and go by the front door."

"I don't know, I guess I just wasn't thinking, Dick."

"Being in love will do that to you Tim, but keep in mind that in 'our line of work' it can also get you killed"

"I asked you to come out and tell Bruce about this months ago, why didn't you?"

"We're all about keeping secrets around here, I guess it was force of habit; anyways he said he figured out on his own," Tim snapped bitterly.

"That's not an answer," Dick said in one of his rare moments of complete seriousness (Richard Grayson was rarely serious, Nightwing was almost always serious).

"Things always seem to be just on the edge of flying apart at the seams, Dick; it's like wishful thinking and baling wire are the only things holding this city, not to mention my sanity together

"When I'm with Conner it's like I can have that little bit of control that I can't find anywhere else; and when he's with me he can find the peace of mind that's been eluding him ever since we released him from Cadmus."

"Damn Superman, anyways!"

What's he got to do with it?"

He treats Kon like he's some kind of mad science experiment gone wrong, as if he were a Frankenstein's monster, you should've seen Conner's face when Bruce told us he'd contacted him."

"He was terrified Dick, Kon was actually scared shitless at the thought of talking to Superman, I thought he was going to piss himself, or at least cry."

"That's hard to picture, wait Superman's here, _now?"_

'Yeah he's downstairs in the cave with Kon having a heart to heart or something."

"When we're together, when-we-hold each other it's like I feel like living and he feels like he's actually alive, and both of our pain goes away; does that make sense Dick?"

"Actually, it does and it reminds me of something Bruce said to me when I first came here after my parents died, I was looking at that big portrait of his folks that's hanging downstairs and I asked him if the pain ever goes away."

"He told me that he wished he could promise that it would go away completely someday, but he couldn't do that; he did promise that it would get better though." ¹

"Really, Bruce said that?"

"I wish I could've known him when he still saw things that way and there was still some hope in him."

"Actually, he still has a lot of hope and optimism, he gets it from you and me, Babs, Cassy, Jay and Damian."

"We're his source of hope Tim, that's why he's so fiercely protective and why he might've overreacted a bit downstairs."

A new light dawned on Tim's understanding of his adoptive father and a small tear actually came to his eye.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said in a somewhat shaky voice, "I don't know why I never thought of it like that."

"So, I can tell the 'old man' you'll be ok?"

"Yeah, Dick and thanks, Bro."

"Anytime Tim," Dick said with a wink before closing the door behind him.

¹ In Batman TAS S1 Ep32 pt. 1 "Robin's Reckoning"


	8. Repairing the Damage

**Chapter 8**

 **Repairing the Damage**

While Dick talked with Tim, Bruce went back with Damian to his room, though he really had no idea what he was going to say.

He looked at his son's blood-shot eyes, then they moved over to the small twin bed and sat down, Bruce asked, "Are you alright Damian, I guess all of this was pretty confusing and upsetting to you."

"Yes, father why was Drake with the Kryptonian half-breed anyway?"

"First of all, Damian that's a very unkind thing to say, I don't want to hear you referring to Conner by that term anymore, especially around Tim."

"I don't know if you're old enough to be able to understand being in love, or that some are attracted to people of their own gender instead of the opposite sex; Tim is like that and he and Conner have formed a relationship together."

"I understand that some people prefer their own gender, father and I believe I understand being in love though it does seem like a ridiculous waste of time and energy. What I don't understand is why Drake would choose the Kryptonian half-," he stopped himself before saying the phrase his father didn't want him using; "Kon-El" he finished.

"People don't always choose who they fall in love with Damian, it just happens that way, other times when people work together closely they form strong bonds; Tim and Conner are friends and leading members of Young Justice; somewhere along the way they became more than friends."

"Does that make sense, son?"

"Yes, I think so, father," Damian answered, "What should I do about Drak-Tim; he's never really trusted me, now he must truly despise me."

"Well, it's up to you, but in your place, I would give it a little bit of time to allow him to cool off and then try to talk to Tim; I think you'll find that he's more forgiving than you expect."

Damian gave that a bit of thought and a crooked half-smile broke through his anguished expression, "I will, father thank you for the advice."

"So, you'll be alright?"

"Yes, father I think so."

"Alright, son try and get some sleep, it'll be daylight in a couple of hours."

"Yes, father."

Bruce rose to leave and switched off Damian's light before closing the door behind him, he met Dick in the hall he had changed out of his Nightwing uniform and showered while Bruce was talking to Damian.

"I think it went well, he understands being in love and that some people prefer their own gender to the opposite sex; how did your talk with Tim go?"

"It went about the same, he really cares about Kon, and was worried about what Superman would say to him, but in time I think he'll be willing to let by-gones be by-gones and forgive Damian."

"Thanks for talking to him, Dick."

"No problem, Bruce what're big brothers for?"

Bruce smiled in gratitude at his oldest son and put an arm around his shoulder as they went downstairs for an early breakfast, neither of them was likely to get much sleep tonight after all the extraordinary events that had happened.


	9. Brothers Forgive

**Chapter 9**

 **Brothers Forgive**

A month had passed, and Tim was still not speaking to Damian despite Dick's best efforts to get them to reconcile. Finally, he asked Bruce to force the issue and send them on patrol together and he reluctantly agreed; not for the sake of their relationship, he said, but for the sake of the team and Gotham.

"Of course, it is Bruce," Dick said with a knowing smirk.

After about an hour of fairly routine activity; stopping two attempted rapes and three armed robberies Red Robin and Robin spotted what appeared to be a drug deal going down in the alley below them. Without waiting, Damian jumped down from the rooftop and charged in recklessly knocking the dealer off his feet.

The buyer ran off in a panic, but he wasn't the one Damian was interested in.

"Is this how scum like you get their kicks, by selling your poison to those who've already lost hope?!

"Where is your source, where does this come from?"

Damian lifted the man, more then twice his size, to his knees by his throat so they were now eye-to eye.

The dealer's eyes bugged out and his face turned blue, "Answer me now, or I swear by Allah this breath will be your last!"

Damian was so intent on ringing the information he wanted from the drug dealer that he failed to notice his partner moving up behind him with a compact .38 automatic pistol.

Robin's first clue that he had a brush with death was when a shot rang out; he spun just in time to see Red Robin subduing his would-be murderer.

After they'd gotten the information they needed on the source of the drugs and turned the two dealers over to Jim Gordon's special task force; Tim rounded on Damian, "What the hell was that," he shouted, "You almost got yourself killed trying to interrogate a low-level dealer!"

"It isn't as though you'd give a sh*t if I had been killed, Drake!"

"Why would you think that," he paused "Little-D?"

At the appalling nick-name Grayson had given him Damian turned to Drake and scowled, what did you call me?"

"I know you heard me, now answer the damned question, why would you think I don't care if you live or die?!"

"Because you've never liked or trusted me, and after what happened last month you no doubt hate me."

Tim kept his expression neutral, he was as good at hiding his emotions as Batman; and then carefully explained, "I was angry at the invasion of my privacy, and worried about Kon's reaction to it but I don't hate you."

"You were worried about the Kryptonian half-" seeing Tim's face darkening and remembering his father's admonition, Damian amended his sentence, "About Kon-El; Why?"

"Because he may seem nearly invulnerable but the reality is he's a lot more fragile than you might think."

"You think it's been tough on us growing up in the shadow of the bat; imagine what it's been like for him trying to live up to Superman."

"I suppose I can see your point Dra-Tim," Damian admitted.

"So now do want you want to tell me why you were willing to die for that piece of sh*t?"

"I just dislike people distributing that venom all over the city," he said.

"Wait a minute," Tim said to Damian, "Before you said poison and just now you said venom, care to explain that?"

"What's the difference!"

"In this town, it can mean a hell of a lot," Tim said, "If you're thinking about trying to go after Bane, forget it!"

"No, even my grandfather was wary of dealings with him, but let's just say I know someone else who's life has been affected by it."

"You do, who is it?"

"Do you remember Colin Wilkes," Damian asked Tim.

"Yeah," Tim said carefully, "He's the orphan kid at St. Aiden's who was experimented on by Scarecrow and injected with Bane's Venom;" a realization dawned on him, "And now he's a crime-fighter who calls himself Abuse."

'Yes, he and I have become friends, in fact recently we have become a little more than friends."

"Really how did this happen," Tim asked. He was more than a little shocked by this news, and the fact that Damian would open up about this to him of all people

"He admitted he has feelings for me, and I'm believe I'm starting to share those feelings, and I think I'm beginning to understand what you have with Kon-El."

"How do you think I should proceed?"

"Really, you want my advice about this?"

"Well I can't ask my father about this, Grayson would no doubt tease me endlessly, and Todd is absolutely out of the question."

"Well, my advice is take things slowly; you're both still really young. Hang out with him as much as you can and get to know everything about each other. Well, except for the fact that you're the current Robin, you know how your dad feels about that."

"Well, actually he already knows, I didn't tell him," Damian added hastily, "He figured out for himself."

"How does a thirteen-year old kid just figure something like that out, Dami?"

"I don't know but he did, Grayson told me that's how you learned that my father was Batman and he was the original Robin."

Tim couldn't argue with that, it was pretty much how it happened, so he just let it go; Damian would have to take the repercussions from Bruce about this later.

"I'll say this Little-D, you never cease to surprise me."

Damian once again bristled at the nickname, but this time he found it was at least tolerable.

After three more relatively uneventful hours of patrol Robin and Red-Robin returned to the cave.

No one else was present so they showered and changed into their civilian clothes, then headed upstairs. Dick was at home and his light was on, so after saying goodnight to Damian, Tim knocked on his door.

"Hey Tim," Dick said sleepily after answering his door, "How'd it go?"

"It went fine," Tim said in a non-committal tone that gave nothing away.

Dick made a note of that and then asked "So is everything alright between you two now?"

"Yeah," Tim said with a slight smile, "I think everything is going to be just fine from now on."

 _ **End.**_


End file.
